Enrollment
569
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Encinitas, CA
Paul Ecke-Central Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Paul Ecke-Central Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061275001434
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paul Ecke-Central Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #2 of 6
- elementary schools in Encinitas · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.1:1
- students per teacher
- 19.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Paul Ecke-Central Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Paul Ecke-Central Elementary ranks #2 of 6 elementary schools in Encinitas, CA.
School address
District: Encinitas Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 061275001434 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
19.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Paul Ecke-Central Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Paul Ecke-Central Elementary
Paul Ecke-Central Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Encinitas, California, enrolling 569 students.
At 21.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 19.7% free-meal eligibility runs 65% below the California average.
With 569 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,301 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #817.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 57/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Encinitas's elementary schools, it stands alongside Capri Elementary (613 students): Paul Ecke-Central Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.1:1 vs 21.9:1).
Encinitas Union Elementary also operates Capri Elementary (613 students) and La Costa Heights Elementary (552 students) alongside Paul Ecke-Central Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Paul Ecke-Central Elementary compares
Paul Ecke-Central Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.1:1 | ▼ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.7% | ▼ 65% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 569 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
569
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
19.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 44% in California - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
20.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,716
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.2 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 57.3%
Hispanic or Latino 29.9%
Two or More 11.8%
Asian 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 57.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.8, Paul Ecke-Central Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Encinitas Union Elementary, which includes Paul Ecke-Central Elementary.
$15,716
Per student
-5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 78.6%
State 15.0%
Federal 6.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Paul Ecke-Central Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capri Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| La Costa Heights Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ocean Knoll Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Park Dale Lane Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Paul Ecke-Central Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 552
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 520
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 479
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary schools in Encinitas
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Capri Elementary
Standard public school
613 students 21.9:1 students per teacher
Ocean Knoll Elementary
Standard public school
479 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Park Dale Lane Elementary
Standard public school
424 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
Flora Vista Elementary
Standard public school
377 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Jcs - Mountain Oaks
Standard public school
255 students 28.3:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~569 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Paul Ecke-Central Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Paul Ecke-Central Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Encinitas Union Elementary's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Paul Ecke-Central Elementary
How many students attend Paul Ecke-Central Elementary?
Paul Ecke-Central Elementary has 569 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Encinitas, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paul Ecke-Central Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Paul Ecke-Central Elementary is 21.1:1, which is 2% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Paul Ecke-Central Elementary?
19.7% of students at Paul Ecke-Central Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paul Ecke-Central Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Paul Ecke-Central Elementary is White at 57.3% of enrollment, in Encinitas, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paul Ecke-Central Elementary?
Paul Ecke-Central Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Paul Ecke-Central Elementary rank among elementary schools in Encinitas?
By Resource Investment Index, Paul Ecke-Central Elementary ranks #2 of 6 elementary schools in Encinitas, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Encinitas on the city page.
Is Paul Ecke-Central Elementary a good school?
Paul Ecke-Central Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Encinitas Union Elementary?
Besides Paul Ecke-Central Elementary, Encinitas Union Elementary also operates Capri Elementary (613 students), La Costa Heights Elementary (552 students), and Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary (520 students). See the Encinitas Union Elementary district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.